Jose Altuve proves he's a better advocate for Alex Bregman than Scott Boras ever was

Just weeks ago, it seemed like the Houston Astros had resigned themselves to life without long-time third baseman Alex Bregman. Houston GM Dana Brown had been adamant since the moment the 2024 season ended that bringing Bregman back was the team's No. 1 priority, with a six-year, $156 million contract offer to prove it. But Bregman and his agent, Scott Boras, were hoping for more, and eventually the Astros decided they couldn't afford to pause the rest of their offseason any longer: Brown told reporters that talks between the two sides had "stalled," and not long after, Houston had acquired infielders Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker.

Recently, though, it's seemed like Bregman has fallen victim to some very bad advice. The market that Boras was almost assuredly promising him has failed to materialize; potential suitors like the New York Mets and New York Yankees have passed, and with Spring Training hurtling towards us, no one's coming close to the $200 million mark the pair were reportedly asking for. The few interested teams left can now feel comfortable waiting things out, and whatever leverage Boras thought he had has all but evaporated — leaving his client staring down the prospect of taking a short-term deal and having to do this all again next winter.

Luckily for Bregman, though, an old friend appears to have his back in a way that Boras never has, and he's willing to go above and beyond to make sure the infielder gets paid.

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Jose Altuve willing to do whatever it takes to bring Alex Bregman back to Houston, despite Scott Boras' best efforts

According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, talks between Bregman and the Astros "have resumed within recent days," as "a lack of clarity in Bregman's market" has opened the door for a return to Houston. It's a stunning reversal, considering how dead this dream seemed not too long ago — and it sounds like it's only a possibility thanks to an extraordinary effort from Jose Altuve.

Once talks with Bregman broke down, Houston understandably wasted little time moving on, acquiring third baseman Paredes in the Kyle Tucker trade while signing first baseman Walker to a three-year, $60 million deal. With Altuve at second, Jeremy Pena at short and Yordan Alvarez the primary DH, it seemed like the Astros couldn't make a Bregman deal work even if they wanted to.

Now, though, things have changed. Rome writes that "unrest within the Astros’ clubhouse about the possibility of Bregman’s departure" has spurred Houston to circle back, and Altuve has reportedly expressed an openness to moving to the outfield in order to make room for Bregman. He would resume his spot at third, with Paredes sliding over to second — where he's made 53 starts in his MLB career — and Altuve moving out to left field.

Altuve has never played the position before; he's never played anywhere but second base or shortstop. But his range on the infield has begun to slip a bit as he enters his mid-30s, and getting to play in Houston's small left field could actually help boost his defensive metrics a bit. Plus, it would allow for another two-way star in the Astros lineup, helping set the team apart in what remains a mediocre AL West (and American League as a whole).

It's unclear just how far Jim Crane is willing to go above the luxury tax threshold to get this done, or whether Boras will let Bregman relent and take the money on the table. But the Astros were always the most likely team to pay him something close to the contract he's been looking for, and unlike Boras, Altuve is willing to put his teammate first to get it done.